Stellarlune - KOTLC Book 8.5 Fanfic

Chapter 27

 Everybody's voices rushed in at once, and Sophie felt her head strain. She felt Fitz, Granite, and Mr. Forkle wince as well. No matter how much she was used to headaches, they were always painful.

The visual now was black, yet comforting, because she knew others were beside her. Safe.

Stop! Mr. Forkle transmitted to everybody as the voices became shouts.

A chorus of sorrys waved in the misty blackness. It was technically like a human face time call, except instead of seeing faces, they saw the black.

Everybody, be quiet. Granite added with an unusually harsh tone in his voice.

Nobody thought a word.

What was going to happen?

This place is secure, though these days, it seems like no place is. We should get this over with now.

Sophie resisted shivers that started to crawl up her spine.

Were they truly safe there?

Whenever there was danger, Sophie had lived in the luxury of having a bodyguard, people who knew what to do.

But now?

It seemed like nobody knew what to do.

Every mind has a nook. A nook where one can retreat. Mr. Forkle started.

But sometimes, it is too late. Sometimes, one can be lost, and not know their way to it. A nook is where one can hide safely, to wait for the danger to be over. But wouldn't you think a councillor would know of the nook? All those who contain information too valuable to be lost, are trained to retreat to it.

But the nook meant nothing if the mind was destroyed, wasn't it?

As the nook is a safe spot, wouldn't it still be safe? Perhaps it would get dragged under, but the one that it contains may remain out of automatic danger, or threat.

Oh.

Oh.

That meant -

Oralie is likely still in the nook. Buried, but safe. This theory is yet to be proven, but can you imagine the destruction one can cause with this? Some who have truly broken minds, shattered enough beyond rescue, can be healed.

Sophie could now see why it was complicated. But couldn't they keep it a secret? But then again, how? The Council would definitely know about how much Sophie attempted to save Oralie already.

This is not all. We altered Miss. Foster's mind to be unnaturally strong, but as I have told you before, her mind can still be deceived. Not only by me, or the rest of the Collective, but by others. Oralie's mind will try to drag you down, and you have the power to overcome it. Like you have before. It hasn't harmed you in the past, but that was with those whose minds were not fully broken yet. Oralie's is a different story. None of us thought of this theory when altering your mind. We were foolish to think that we would not have a need to attempt to heal a shattered, out-of-repair mind. We thought only of Prentice. The dangers of a broken mind, a shattered one, is absurd. But. Miss Foster took plenty of risks when looking into Prentice's mind. But she just looked to make sure his mind was repairable before-hand.

So....

That meant...

Her mind might not be clever enough to actually heal a mind with nothing in it.

Almost nothing.

We tried to make sure Sophie wouldn't be deceived. But we soon realized that it had a fatal flaw. She wouldn't be able to fall and get back up. Yes, she has before, but that is with other elements. Sometimes decievement, which made her stronger than before.

Suddenly, everybody's voices scattered.

What?! Biana shrieked.

So she has to take a risk?! Fitz groaned.

But - Dex started.

Enough. Sophie one day will be strong enough for this after she learns. But not now. It's her choice. Granite reprimanded.

The Neverseen was winning. They had so many victories, allies, everything!

But this was a victory they could take back.

A change.

And Oralie deserved it. She didn't deserve to be trapped in madness, trapped in a nook of light surrounded by pounding darkness.

Alright. Sophie transmitted.

Surprisingly, as fearful and angry voices tried to wash over her, the emotions went right through. She was content and happy with her decision. It was the right choice.

You never fail to amaze. Somebody whispered through the chaos. And that was one thing Sophie knew, hadn't been taken away from her. The Neverseen would never be able to take it away from her. Never.